The Revival of Grace, Part 2 · Chapter 5 · Section 1
Sect. 1.
1. The believing, meditating and conſiderate Communicant may improve his Faith by the conſideration of Chriſt's laſt VVill: there lye hidden many inducements unto Faith, and very ſtrong ſupports of Faith; all which conſideration will draw forth, and likely enough in ſome ſuch order as this ſome of them may be drawn out.
Now the Scripture tells me, that Faith is the ſubſtance of things hoped for; a perſwaſion of the certain future accompliſhment of thoſe things which are promiſed to the Believer. Credere est perſuaſum eſſe de veritate alicujus rei. PP. Salmur. de Fide, ſect. 15.To believe, is to be perſwaded of the truth of any thing propoſed to be believed. So that the more, the clearer, the ſurer our perſwaſives and arguments are to believe, the ſtronger will be our Faith and Aſſent to the Truths which are propoſed and argued; the ſtedfaſter and more unmoved will our perſwaſion be, Perſuaſio non fit aliterquam admittendo aut introducendo in intellectum eas rationes caque argumenta quibus unaquaeque res ſeſe veram eſſe demonſtrat. PP. Salmur. de Fide Diſp. 1. ſect. 15.Which is wrought in no other manner than by admitting or letting into the underſtanding thoſe Reaſons and Arguments whereby each thing demonſtrateth it ſelf to be true: VVhichWhich paſſage of the Learned Profeſſours is a very fit Expoſition of the Apoſtles words. foreign.Heb. 11.1. Faith is the evidence of things which are not ſeen, it is the concluſion of the ſoul, arguing with it ſelf from the evidence of truth, and from the certainty of thoſe reaſons which are diſcuſſed, and throughly pondered; as then, there is more or leſs evidence and certainty in the promiſe or word on which our faith and perſwaſion is built; ſo there is more or leſs ſtrength in our faith or perſwaſion, Confirmat— fidem quod magis ac magis perſuadet vera eſſe promiſſionem, &c. P.P. Sal. de Sacram. in gen. ſect. 54and a certainty which grows greater and greater, will produce a ſaith which grows greater and greater like wiſe. Let us then ſee what increaſe of our perſwaſion and faith, may be made by the laſt Will and Teſtament of our Lord. In which thou haſt.
Firſt, All the common inducements of a firm perſwaſion which are as much in this as in any. No man's laſt Teſtament, can have more grounds for the enſuring us it is firm and ſtable, than his laſt VVill of Chriſt. He was in ſtricteſt propriety, a Perſon who might optimo jure, in beſt right make his VVill. He had wealth and riches, ſpiritual Riches, fulneſs of Grace and merit; Teſtes ſuntin primis diſcipuli ejus Apoſtoli ſancti man tyres quoque teſtes ſunt.-Teſtes etiam bom miniſtri omnes Teſtes etiam Angeli omnes que Pii. Ben. Aretius in Prolegem. ad Matth.he had large demeaſnes, was heir of all things, he could ſua legare, bequeath his own; he did alſo make his VVill by his death; he confirmed all the promiſes, and made them the Legacy of every Believer. He did condere Teſtamentum, ordain his Teſtament. To which he added ſufficient VVitneſſes: to him give all the Prophets and Apoſtles witneſs, that whoſoever believeth in him hath good title and right to eternal Life; he bequeathed it by VVill, and adhibuit testes, * call'd in Witneſſes. And farther, he publiſh'd his Will, ſent out his Apoſtles, who declared Chriſts death, and the Believers life. Every Miniſter of Chriſt is one by whom Chriſt ſtill publiſheth this Will of his. Now if thou who readeſt this, hadſt ſuch a Ground of Plea for an inheritance; wouldſt thou not ſay, thou hadſt a good Title? wouldſt thou fear to claim thy Legacy? wouldſt thou not ſue the Executor rather than loſe thine inheritance? when thou ſhouldeſt read what thy dying Friend commanded to be written, what witneſſes are to it, how plain and full he made every thing be written & publiſht, would not thy perſwaſion grow as thou readeſt? So then it is in this caſe, every promiſe is reduced into the form of a will, and the more thou readeſt and conſidereſt, the more wilt thou diſcern the ſtability and the certainty of the promiſes. The words which thou believeſt, & on which thou may'ſt claim, and make good thy claim to any promiſe, it is the Legacy thy dying Lord hath bequeathed thee. Say then before thou goeſt to the Lords Table, I am now preparing to renew the memorial of Chriſts death, and what thoughts am I to entertain? ought they not to be thoughts of the precious promiſes which are compriſed in the Lord Jeſus, in whom they are all yea and amen, made to us in him before he died; made moſt ſure to us by him when he died. And who dares go about to reverſe what he hath ſo conſirmed? who ſhall preſume to annul and make void his will? I ſee others believe their intereſt in the laſt will of their Friends: I know I am the Friend of Chriſt, and in his Will, what then ſhould make me doubt? Nay I will endeavour to have as inviolatam fidem, inviolate and unſhaken Faith as I have inviolate and Sacred ground of Faith in the laſt Will of my Lord.
Secondly, The Believer hath yet more to increaſe his faith, and to confirm him in the perſwaſion that there ſhall be a performance of all that is promiſed. For it is all made ſure by the laſt Teſtament of him who could not exceed his own treaſures; he hath not given larger Legacies than his eſtate will bear; though his Gifts are great, yet his Eſtate will make them good. He is heir of both Worlds, with all that is in both: he is heir of the world to come; and he is proprietary of all grace which fits for Glory; and he is alſo Proprietary of all Glory fitted unto Grace, that is prepared and apportioned unto Grace. He is Lord of this preſent world: although we do not yet ſee all things put under him, yet he is the man of whom David ſpake, Pſal. 8. witneſs the Apoſtle, Heb. 2. He ſhall inherit all Nations: he is a King, whoſe dominion is over all. In one word, the greateſt wants, the largeſt deſires, the higheſt expectations of his kindred could not be too much for his Treaſures. Though none ever gave as he hath given; yet none ever did or ever ſhall be put to abate or to forgo any part of his Gift. This oh believing ſoul is! peculiar to thy Lord; his Riches will pay all his Legacies.
Say then to thine unbelief, what is it thou ſtickeſt at? where lieth the difficulty? are the promiſes ſo rich, they exceed the Eſtates and Treaſures of this world? do they amount to more than all the world can make up? why ſtill they are not greater than the Riches of both worlds: and remember thy ſelf; he hath both this, and that world which is to come, at his diſpoſal, and his Bequeſts are to be disburſed and paid out of both: foreign which the Arab. reads Quicquid eſt in ea.will both be enough? cannot the fulneſs of the Earth fill thy emptineſs? why the Earth is the Lord's, and the fulneſs thereof; the World is his, and they that dwell therein. Baniſh thine unbelief which ordinarily ſtumbles moſt at the wants and ſtreights of Chriſtians in this life; and look to the laſt Will of Chriſt which is unto Godlineſs. foreign.He bequeaths all the promiſes of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Oh now where is thy faith? what forbids thee to be perſwaded of the truth of the promiſe of Chriſt; 1 Tim. 4.8.he hath not laid it on an uncertainty, much leſs on an untruth: he hath not given ſo much, if his Goods will amount to it. He hath not as that beggarly Cardinal, given much, but his Legatees muſt find it out. No, but he had enough to give what he hath given; and every one ſhall in due time have all that Chriſt hath given; there are Aſſets to pay theſe debts; believe, than that thou may'ſt receive. See how much greater cauſe thou haſt to believe, than any man can have to expect from the Teſtamentary diſpoſition of a mortal friend who may poſſibly out give his Eſtate, but Chriſt thy Friend, did not, could not out-give his.
3. Next conſider, as he had wealth both ſpiritual, eternal and temporal ſufficient to diſcharge his leagacies, ſo he had wiſdom which could not, and love in ſincerity which would not err in the ordaining of his Will that ſo any Legatee ſhould loſe through the ambiguity or defect of his laſt Will. He needed none to direct him how to make a will which ſhould hold good, and be valid to all the intents and purpoſes of his love towards his poor Friends. He is that foreign, that one Law-giver whoſe wiſdom directeth to the making Laws good, profitable and ſeaſonable for his Church. He is that Lawgiver whoſe ſoveraign authority gives validity, and warranteth his word for a law to his Church. He is the King of his Church, and his Church knows not a law beſide the word of his mouth. And the words of his mouth are right; there is nothing forward or perverſe in them, Prov. foreign Prov. 8.7.8.8. Now then ſee what farther ground of firme perſwaſion thou haſt. Oh believing ſoul, to aſſent to, wait for all that he hath promiſed! all which he hath compriſed and ratified by his laſt Will. Read over the promiſes, weigh them duly, and ſay to thy ſelf at a Sacrament, all theſe promiſes were confirmed by the laſt Will of my Lord. Whoſe death I am to remember and conſider with reſpect to the nature and notion of his Death; and this his Death was the Death of a Teſtator, of one who made his Will ſo wiſely, ſo conſonantly to the law, viz. Of grace and mercy, ſo agreable to the holy will of God, ſo plainly and fully for the conſolation of his poor Friends, that no one of his poor Friends ſhall ever be defeated, diſappointed, or injured in their claim, and plea, their title by gift and will is ſo good, that nothing but a narrow deſire, a ſtraitned heart a ſcanty apprehenſion of it can leſſen their portion in it; the fulleſt apprehenſion, the largeſt heart, and the vaſteſt deſire according to Chriſt's own Will, ſhall have the beſt and greateſt ſhare in theſe gifts: get then apprehenſions ſuited to theſe excellent mercies: enquire and learn what mercies are offered, repreſented confirmed and ſealed in the Sacrament, what priviledges are there, (by God's charter and grant) given, and conclude of them; all theſe were put into Chriſt's hand. He hath diſpoſed of them to his, as they need, as they deſire, as they want, or wiſh. And that they might be ſure, hath ordained them by his laſt Will a Legacy for all who underſtand, deſire, ſeek and wait for them; and leſt any doubt ſhould diſcourage you, I pray you remember; Chriſt the wiſdom of his Father could not want ſufficient skill, and Chriſt Dying for us could not want good will to ordain his Teſtament, ſo that none ſhould diſappoint or defeat it in part or in whole. Conſider then how little cauſe you and I have to doubt; conſider how great cauſe we have to be fully peſwaded of the truth and certainty of the promiſes. Nay farther, yet
4. All the Promiſes thus confirmed, by the laſt Will and Teſtament of Chriſt, are Legacies given by one who now doth, and ever ſhall live to be his own Executor. This Teſtament is not the Teſtament of a man who dieth and muſt entruſt others to ſee his Will perform'd; but it is the Teſtament of one who was once dead, but behold he liveth, Rev. 1.18. For evermore. O happy ſoul who art Heir of thoſe Promiſes which he made who lives to perform what his love hath bequeathed to thee! foreign.Thou art ſurer to enjoy the Crown which he bequeaths thee, than ever was the child of any dying Emperours, or Kings, whoſe laſt Wills have been wickedly violated becauſe they were dead, and could not prevent the violence of ſuch Traitors, nor avenge the wickedneſs of the Treaſon. But behold here's a friend who lives after death, and wilt thou know why he doth? Amongſt others, this is one reaſon, Heb. 7.25.That he might ſave to the uttermoſt all that come unto God by him; and to intercede for them, viz. that they may enjoy what he hath given, that they may poſſeſs what he hath purchaſed. Now then, compare the grounds of other mens perſwaſions and confidences, upon the Will of their dead friends; ſee what is in them, weigh them, and write upon each of them Tekel, Dan. 5.27.thou art found too light to be weighed againſt the confidences and perſwaſions of a Believer; for all other Legacies are the gifts of the dead, but the Believers Legacies are the gifts of him who was dead, but is alive, and liveth for ever more. Others may have the aſſurance of an unchangeable Teſtament, and ordination of their will, but yet want an aſſurance of juſt and faithfull execution of it. If their Friend be dead, the Legacy is due and cannot be recalled. But their Friend is dead, & poſſibly the Legacy may never be paid: here's that defect which makes it too light to be weighed with the believers confidence, which is as ſure, for his Friend was dead to confirm, and is yet ſurer than all others, for his Friend doth live. Chriſt will make all ſure (as we ſay) his own eyes ſhall be overſeers, and his own hands executors of his own Will.
Now then at the Lords Table view the riches of the promiſes, take a particular of what is contained in them, a particular of what grace, what conſolation, what glory, ſay, All theſe are (by the laſt Will of my Dying Lord) beſtowed upon me. I may claim them, I may ſue and plead for them, I may avow my title to them; for they are a Legacy given to me by my Lord: and who then can change or alter his VVill which hath been ratified by his Death? or who ſhall dare to violate it, and defeat me? or any other Believer? So long as my Lord liveth to prevent the attempt, and to avenge himſelf for the violence; Oh that our perſwaſion of the truth of the Promiſes were firm and ſtedfaſt as the Promiſes themſelves! Oh that we could give more credit to the Promiſes, as God hath given us more arguments and inducements to credit them! well Reader, I know not how my weak and dark reaſoning with thee doth prevail; but I aſſure thee, there is in the Promiſes a moſt ſure and unfailing truth aſſerted and declared to thee by this, That they are the bequeſts of Chriſt Jeſus, who ever lives to make them good. Remember this at the Sacrament, where the Promiſes are all tendered to thee in Chriſt, I doubt not it will ſtrengthen thy Faith.
5. Fifthly, Conſider, the Promiſes are the Legacies of thy friend, who would not alter his Will, and diſpoſe of them otherwiſe than he hath already diſpoſed them. He is yeſterday, Heb. 12.8.to day and for ever the ſame, in his love, care, wiſdom and bounty; were he now to make his laſt VVill, he would not alter any thing; he would not blot out one name, nor abate any one Legacy. I ſtand the leſs to prove this, becauſe nothing can fall out to change infinite wiſdom; and ſuch was the wiſdom of Chriſt who is the Teſtator, and diſpoſed all as you ſee them diſpoſed. And in this appeareth a certainty in Divine Promiſes, which is (ſeldom? nay) never found in the promiſes of men, although confirmed by an irrevocable Teſtamentary diſpoſition; for it ſeems paſt doubt, that if any one of the rich and wealthy Princes, or Grandees of the world, were to live again, and to ordain their VVills anew, they would alter much, leaving out ſome, abating to others, &c. Either upon diſcovery of unworthineſs in the Legatees, or upon diſcovery of other perſons and uſes more excellent; all which would proceed from experience, and afterknowledge; the leaſt of which cannot be ſuppoſed, or found in Chriſt. He would do what he hath done, were it all to be done over again. Now this doth add new evidence of the certainty of the Promiſe, and ought to add new degrees of ſtrength to our Faith. How ſure muſt thoſe Promiſes be which are the Promiſes of one unchangable, and who repenteth nothing which he hath ſpoken! Away then with unbelief and doubts baniſh them all from thy ſoul. If thou wouldſt but love thy Lord in truth of heart; if thou grieveſt for thy deadneſs and nonproficiency; if thou ſtriveſt to walk more worthy of thy relation unto Chriſt, and of his love to thee; be not too much dejected. Thy Lord foreſaw this, and hath provided a pardon for, and help againſt it; and notwithſtanding all the baſeneſs thou confeſſeſt and bewaileſt in thy ſelf, Chriſt would make the ſame VVill if he were to make it anew, and give thee as much as he hath done. Raiſe up thy Faith therefore, and at the Sacrament be think thy ſelf; Here are the Promiſes reduced to the form of a laſt VVill, that they might be ſure; and they are ſo diſpoſed by my Lord who foreſaw all that can diſcourage me, and who would not change any thing, were all to be new done. Surely he intends as he ſpeaketh; is in very good earneſt; he will perform that at laſt, which he would not change or alter in the leaſt. Oh then! I muſt perſwade my ſelf it is all truth which is in theſe Promiſes, and I ſhould believe them more ſtedfaſtly if I did underſtand them more clearly. None can have ſuch equal ground of believing his friend; none ſhall equal me in believing Chriſt my friend and Lord.
6. Laſtly let it be conſidered for enſuring the promiſes, they are the legacies of one who is ſole, and ſupreme judge of all pleas and cauſes which can ariſe concerning our Right and Title to them. Symbol. Nicen. John 5.25.We believe that he ſhall come to be our Judge, is an article of our faith, and the Father hath committed all judgement to the Son, having appointed a day wherein he will judge the world by the man whom he hath ordained, Acts 17.31.who was adjudged by man unto death, died and was buried, but roſe again, and ſhall come to judge Quick and Dead; whoſe ſentence ſhall ſtand for ever good, ſo he hath a Prerogative Royall, peculiar to himſelf; for others laſt wills are by other men decided, if any thing of controverſy ariſe concerning them. No man is judge in the caſe and plea of right between thoſe he hath made joint Legatees, but one is the Teſtator, and dieth; another is the Judge and interpreter of the Teſtament whence it doth not ſeldom fall out that the Legatees are defeated of their right, and loſe the gift of their Friend; and the mind of the Teſtator is not fulfilled becauſe it is either not underſtood by the judge, or becauſe it muſt not be underſtood (although indeed it is well enough known) this therefore leaves ſome uncertainty in a man's claim, and the event upon trial is ſometime a diſappointment. But here is no ſuch uncertainty in the event, for he is Judge who is Teſtator, and he is to declare his own mind, of whom we expect the gift, and who certainly doth well underſtand his own mind. Beſides, in expecting and claiming, the Legatee ſhall aſſuredly have all the favour ſhewed him that hee needeth. It is a rule in law, that wills ſhould be interpreted in the more favourable ſenſe. That love which was ſo great to give the Legacy, will be great enough to adjudge it to the Legatee. Moreover it is not poſſible that a caſe ſhould ariſe between the Legatees of Chriſt wherein the one ſhould gain, and the other loſe, for ſuch are the gifts of Chriſt that they are intire and whole to each one; none hath the leſs for any ones having much; ſo the controverſy ſhall never be but between the ſoul and its unbeleif, fears, and doubts: between the ſoul, and Satan accuſing and impleading it. And in this caſe Chriſt being Judge of his own Will, you may ſoon ſay what favourable, gracious and merciful judgement he will give; and how ſurely he will adjudge their title good, whoſe faith, love and deſires ſue for it to him. Awaken thy ſelf then! and look on what ſure ground thou ſtandeſt! who haſt Promiſes ſo full of certainty and unchangeable truth. Let thy ſoul admit no more unbelief than the Promiſes, (confirmed by Chriſt framing them into his laſt VVill and Teſtament,) do admit uncertainty. Let not unbelief enter until thou ſeeſt uncertainty attend thine expectation from the Will of Chriſt. Reaſon with thy ſoul; propoſe the caſe to thy ſerious thoughts. At a Sacrament I do remember the Death of my Lord Dying, and making his VVill, wherein is given to me all that which the Sacrament repreſenteth to me; remiſſion of ſin, peace in believing, ſtrength to walk with God, and after, my drinking this wine with his people at his Table. Luke 22.The drinking it new with him in his Father's Kingdom. This Ordinance is (as all other Ordinances of Chriſt are,) exceeding full of grace for every one that heartily willeth it; and this fulneſs of grace is bequeathed by VVill; this VVill valid, and to be judged, (if any caſe ariſe) by him who made it. Come then! Will Chriſt think you enervate his own Will? Can it be imagined that he will not ſee it performed, who lives to be his own Executor? who would make no other if he were now to die and make his VVill again? Fear not oh believing ſoul! thy claim will be adjudged good; doubt not thy Plea of right, he is Judge who gave thee the right; ſtagger not through unbeleef. He did deſignedly give thee all aſſurance poſſible, not to prevent any unfaithfulneſs in himſelf but, to prevent all infidelity in thee. Not to confirm his own word by any new arguments, or new bonds which might be ſure to hold if others did break; for his word, and promiſe is faithfullneſs and truth; but to confirm thy faith, and that if unbeleef broke through ſome, yet it might not break through others; if it did prevail with the ſoul againſt any one, it might not prevail againſt every one of the encouragements and perſwaſives to believe. Weigh well the certainty of thoſe promiſes which are confirmed by the laſt will of ſuch, (I ſay, of ſuch) a Teſtator who changeth not, who cannot be overruled by any ſuperiour Judge, and then ſay how great your perſwaſion of the truth of them ſhould be. It ſhould be great faith that hath ſuch great aſſurance, and ſtrong perſwaſion which hath ſuch perſwaſives. Oh that our faith were porportioned to the ground of faith laid down before us in this very matter! there can be no colour of doubt where theſe grounds and perwaſives of our belief are rationally conſidered. Bring therefore to the Sacrament an extract of the promiſes, ſet them in order before your eyes, ſee them all ſummarily contained in that one clauſe (foreign, Luc. 22.20.) This is the new Teſtament in my blood this is a Teſtament which bequeaths to every believer the whole purchaſe of grace, comfort, glory, and every good thing, which the blood of Chriſt was the price of. And he that bequeath'd all this, would not alter it, if he were to make his will anew; if any one will controvert my Title, Chriſt the Teſtator is to be Judge; if any would defraud and detain my part, or any parcel of it, Chriſt lives to be his own Executor, and to give the poſſeſſion of all, as well as to give me title unto any. Thus ſure are the Promiſes of the New Teſtament, the Legacies of every Believer. Here are many Arguments, and each of them I think apt enough to perſwade, were they duly improved. Reader, let thy thoughts, and deeper meditation add ſtrength to thy Perſwaſion and Faith, by drawing out the ſtrength of theſe Arguments, which may be truly called Arguments, put into thy hand, rather than handled for thee. I hope thou wilt find thy Faith taking deeper root whilſt (like a tree) it ſpreads its roots among theſe firm reaſons. I hope thy experience will, as thy judgment muſt, ſubſcribe the truth of that Obſervation.
Look how many more are the good and fit Arguments which do perſwade us of any thing; Quô autem plura ſunt argumenta bona illa atque Idonea, quae nobis aliquid perſuadent, eô perſuaſio altiùs in mente radices agit. PP. Salmur. diſp. de Sacra. in Gen. Sect. 46. — Quanto plura ſunt & illuſtriora documenta quae ad unius rei cognitionem vel perſuaſionem ingenerandam concurrunt tanto naturaliter ſit in nobis vel rerum cognitio clarior vel perſuaſio certior ac minus dubitabilis, Iidem de diſcrim. Sacram. Sect. 6.ſo much the deeper rooting ſhould the perſwaſion take in the mind.
How fit the arguments appear I know not, but certainly if they ſeem weak, it is from the weakneſs of the handler. They are of great force in themſelves, and will be mighty to the deligent, deliberate ſoul, who is willing to perſwade his faith to an increaſe.